Team USA's big World Cup moments

Team USA fought until the last minute of overtime, but ultimately fell 2-1 in its knockout round match against Belgium.

Still, almost no one expected the U.S. to get this far. When Team USA was drawn into World Cup Group G last December, few people gave coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s men much chance of advancing.

After all, this was the so-called “Group of Death”—they’d be up against perennial powerhouse Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, and Ghana, who eliminated the Stars and Stripes from the last two World Cups.

Well, after a gritty win against Ghana, an impressive draw with Portugal, and a narrow loss to the Germans, Team USA made it to the knockout round.

Although the U.S. lost to Belgium on Tuesday, the Americans proved themselves a world-class team with a particularly heroic performance by Tim Howard – who saved more goals (16) than any other goalkeeper in a World Cup game since 1966 – as well as newcomers like 20-year-old DeAndre Yedlin and 19-year-old Julian Green, who fired the U.S. team’s one goal against Belgium.

For U.S. fans, that young blood is reason for hope: After all, there’s always 2018.